Gardaí at Donnybrook and Dundrum Garda Stations are investigating a number of aggravated burglaries that occurred between Wednesday 3rd May 2017 and Tuesday 16th May 2017 at three separate public houses in the area.

On Wednesday 3rd May 2017 at The 51 Bar on Haddington Road, Dublin 4, the bar manager and a customer were the only people left in the pub, it was approximately 1am. The manager was cleaning up and the customer preparing to leave. Two masked and armed men entered the pub, one of the men was armed with a firearm and the second man was armed with a kitchen knife. They threatened the bar manager demanding that he open the safe. They tied his hands behind his back and told him to get on the floor. The man with the knife tied the customer’s hands behind his back using cable ties. The men placed the money into a bag and fled the pub to a waiting dark coloured saloon car parked opposite the entrance to Bar 51.

Ten days later, shortly after 2am on Saturday 13th May at Ashton’s public house on Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 6, while two members of staff were locking up at the front door, two masked and armed men approached them and pushed them back into the main bar where they tied their hands with cable ties. They demanded access to the safe but could not gain access.

The men left on foot in the direction of Ranelagh.

On Tuesday, 16th May 2017, at around 12.24am at the Willows public house in Dundrum, a bar man had finished locking up and was walked across the car park at the front of the pub when he was grabbed by two men. One man was armed with a knife and the other with a handgun. They forced the barman to re-open the pub and searched the premises looking for cash. They searched the tills in the bar and lounge. They used an electrical cable to tie the barman’s hands behind his back. They fled from the scene in a dark coloured saloon car.

Appeal:

• Gardaí were focusing their appeal on the similarities between the descriptions and the clothing worn by the men involved in these incidents.

• As the men exited Bar51, they were seen getting into a dark coloured saloon car, Gardaí were appealing to anyone with information about this car to come forward.

• Gardaí were asking the public, to consider the descriptions / modus operandi, together with the CCTV footage and to provide any information that may progress these investigation

On this month’s Crime Prevention Segment Sergeant Amanda Flood was in studio to offer advice to Tourists travelling to Ireland over the summer months. Many of these tourists will use private cars as a means of travel. Generally around one in ten thefts from cars are connected to tourism, with most occurring between March & October.

Incidents are more likely to occur at weekends and the most common time for thefts to occur is between noon & 7pm. Around 1 in 10 vehicles were unlocked or had window left open. In 50% of cases a window was broken to gain access to the vehicle. In 2016 almost €700k worth of items were stolen from vehicles, just over €100k of which were cash. Areas of interest where incidents can occur are along coast lines or at scenic locations.

Crime Prevention Advice:

1. Survey where you’re going to park your car – is there broken glass on the ground, is the car park covered by CCTV?

2. Ensure your vehicle is locked and check it before leaving the vehicle

3. Avoid leaving windows slightly open – regardless of where you’ve park and how long you’re leaving the vehicle for. Remember there are always opportunists!

4. If you have to keep coin in your car for parking meters, keep it in a closed ashtray (if you have one) or in some other out-of-sight compartment (most cars have a little drawer somewhere). If it is on view a desperate thief will smash a side window (worth €200) to steal €3 in change

5. It goes without saying that things like handbags, jackets, wallets, laptops, and shopping should never be left on view in the vehicle. Some of these can be locked in the boot.

6. Avoid bringing valuables with you on your journey you know you won’t need - If you must bring them hide it from sight before arriving at your destination.

7. A portable Sat-Nav should be carried on the person or left in a locked boot, together with its cradle or mat when leaving the car. Any suction cup marks on the windscreen should be wiped away as their presence will indicate to the thief that you may have a device, such as a sat-nav, hidden in the glove compartment. You may not have, but this won’t stop the thief from smashing a side window to take a look – another €200. You can purchase Sat-Nav mats, which have weighted bases to stop the whole thing sliding around, with a smooth top on which you can stick the Sat-Nav. This means that you won't be leaving suction cup marks on the windscreen. The same mat can be used with a cradle to hold your mobile phone too.

8. Keep the inside of the vehicle tidy as an untidy vehicle containing opened mail, plastic bags etc may attract the curiosity of a thief. Remove any jackets or coats that may be on display in the vehicle – offenders may want to check that nothing is hidden under them

9. If there is nothing in the glove compartment leave it open to view 10. If planning your trip in advance, check online if the location has a website or app with safety tips for visitors.

The Gardaí at Coolock Garda Station are investigating a burglary that occurred on Tuesday 6th June 2017 at Edenmore Crescent, Coolock, Dublin 5.

A man called to the home of an elderly couple purporting to be an employee from a water supply company seeking to check the water in the kitchen sink. Whilst in the kitchen the man said he had to go out to his vehicle. When he failed to return the injured party became suspicious and discovered that a burglary had occurred.

A wooden chest containing a family relatives ashes was stolen and a sum of cash. The wooden chest was subsequently recovered a short time later.

The suspect is described as being in his late twenties of slim build with black hair and a tanned complexion. He spoke with a Dublin accent.

The Gardaí at Watercourse Road Garda Station are investigating a burglary that occurred on the Commons Road on Saturday 13th May 2017.

At approximately 12.15pm a man called to the home of an elderly woman on the Commons Road. He identified himself as an employee from a water supply company and stated there was a problem with a burst pipe in the area that would affect her water. He told her to turn on the taps while he fixed the problem under the sink. After approximately fifteen minutes he left.

Gardaí believe a second man entered the house while the woman was distracted, ransacked the house and €1900 euro was reported to have been stolen from the house.

The man is described as approximately thirty years of age, five foot in height with sallow skin and brown hair, not tightly cut.

Detective Superintendent Declan Daly from Online Child Exploitation Unit (OCEU) at the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) was in studio to discuss a recent Say No! - Awareness Campaign on online child sexual coercion and extortion. The European Union police agency Europol has launched a new campaign against online sexual coercion and extortion of children in support of which the Garda Síochána today launches a "Say No” campaign.

The online coercion and extortion of children is a form of digital blackmail, sometimes referred to as ‘sextortion’, where sexual information or images are used to extort sexual material, sexual favours or money from children. The "Say No” campaign is aimed primarily at children and young people who may be targeted online as victims of online coercion and extortion.The centrepiece of the campaign is a 10-minute video, portraying two teenagers, a boy and girl, being exploited online either by a criminal organisation for money or by an individual online sexual offender seeking further sexual material. The video, includes advice as to how such crimes may be reported to An Garda Síochána. The Online Child Exploitation Unit (OCEU) at the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) offers the following advice:

• Protect your online life - use the maximum privacy settings.

• Be aware that people online may not be who they claim to be

• Keep control online - do not share explicit or intimate images with anyone. If you believe you are a victim of this type of crime, you should do the following:

The Gardaí at Middleton Garda Station were appealing for information in relation to the whereabouts of missing person, Tina Satchwell, (DOB) 30/11/1971 who is missing from her home on Grattan Street, Youghal, Co. Cork since Monday 20th March 2017.

Tina’s was last seen on the Monday morning when her husband Richard made the two of them a cup of tea. He then went to Aldi in Dungarvan at about 10.30am, while Tina remained at home. When he returned shortly after 12pm, there was no sign of Tina. Her house keys were on the floor in the hallway near the front door and her mobile phone was in the kitchen. There were two suitcases missing from the house.

Tina was a keen follower of fashion and had two dogs that she often walked. Tina is described as five foot seven inches in height with blonde hair and blue eyes. She previously lived in Fermoy. Tina’s Husband, her aunt and cousin made an appeal on Crimecall for help and information on the current whereabouts of Tina. Her family, the Gardaí and the community in Youghal are extremely concerned for Tina’s safety and well being.

Gardaí from Finglas Garda Station are continuing to investigate the murder of thirty nine year old Paul Martin who was fatally murdered on 23rd August 2008.

Paul Martin was in the Jolly Toper Public House on Church Street, Finglas, Dublin 11 when two masked and armed men entered the pub and fatally shot him. He was pronounced dead a short time later in hospital. To date, seven persons have been arrested, over 800 lines of investigative enquiry have been opened and over 410 witness statements have been recorded. This murder investigation is still very much ongoing and will remain so.

Gardaí were appealing to any person who was present in the Jolly Toper Public House (also known as the Village Inn), Church Street, Finglas, Dublin 11 at the time of the shooting, dated the 23rd of August 2008, between the hours 16.30 and 19.30 – who have not yet made themselves known to Gardaí or who, for whatever reason, were unable to make themselves available to Gardaí at the material time.

Gardaí were appealing to any person who observed a black Mercedes ML 270 diesel jeep, bearing a false registration plate to wit, 01L2272, arriving at the Jolly Toper Public House and then leaving the Jolly Toper Public House following the shooting of Paul Martin (travelled onto N2, at the Casement Roundabout - took 3rd exit onto St. Margarets Road and then into Hamptonwood Green) – to come forward and speak with members of the investigation team. The said jeep was stolen from Donaguile, Castlecomer, Co.Kilkenny between the 6th and 7th of September 2007 – real registration number was 02KE3946. There was no sighting of this car from that date until the shooting, 23rd of August 2008.

At approximately 7pm, on the 23rd of August 2008, following the shooting of Paul Martin the Mercedes jeep, as previously described, was discovered on fire at Hamptonwood Green, Finglas, Dublin 11. Gardaí appealed to any member of the public with information concerning this to contact them immediately.

Gardaí appealed to any member of the public who may have seen a silver car, not better described, acting suspiciously following the destruction of the Mercedes jeep by fire in Hamptonwood Green. Gardaí appealed to all members of the public with related information to contact An Garda Síochána – notwithstanding the passage of time, all associated information would be welcomed by members attached to the investigation team.

On this month’s traffic segment Garda Derek Cloughley was in studio to outline where we stand today in terms of road safety, nearly half way through the year. He further discussed the high risk summer period ahead, in particular reflecting back to July 2016 when 21 people lost their life on our roads, the highest number of any month in 5 years – and how not to repeat it.

As another pedal cyclist loses their life, this brings to 10 the number of cyclists fatally injured in 2017, equalling the total number of cycling fatalities in 2016.

Garda Cloughley also looked at one of the most dangerous activities on our roads – driving under the influence, and we looked at how An Garda Síochána have been targeting these drivers since last year.